


Dinner for Two

by Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: First Date, M/M, cuteness, these assholes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-24 01:57:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17695421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion
Summary: First date cooking fail starring Sonny, Rafael, and an appetizer gone awry.





	Dinner for Two

Rafael steps off the elevator onto the ninth floor, and the smell of good food meets him. He smiles to himself, gripping a bit more tightly at the bottle of wine in his hand, and isn't surprised when the smell of good food is strongest outside Sonny's door.

Sonny had asked him over for dinner two days ago, and when Rafael had replied, "What?" Sonny had grinned and said, "Dinner. My place. I wanna cook for you."

"Why?"

"Because all the nights I've brought you takeout and stayed to chat while you work don't seem to have gotten my point across."

"And your point is?" Rafael had managed to get out without a shake in his voice. Because, yes, he'd _hoped_ all the takeout and chats had meant Sonny was into him, but it could also just be Sonny being his usual, nice self.

Sonny had grinned, a little shy and a little bold all at the same time. "To date you, if you don't mind."

Rafael had felt a similar smile pull across his own face. "I don't mind."

"Great. Thursday at seven?"

"Should work."

Sonny had left with a wave, and Rafael had had to drop into his chair and catch his breath.

He had to catch his breath now, too, or at least take a couple of deep breaths before knocking. It was strange to be so excited for a date, especially for a date with someone he knows as well as Sonny. But, well, he hadn't let himself really want it before now.

Sonny opens the door. The smile on his face is wide and bright and welcoming. "Right on time!" he says, and steps aside so Rafael can walk in.

"I brought wine," Rafael replies and hands it over.

"You'll have to tell me what's good about it," Sonny says, glancing at the bottle before carrying it over to the kitchen island. "I like wine, but I can't really taste the notes, you know?"

Rafael smiles at the easy confession and sits down when Sonny gestures to a bar stool across from where he's working. "Sometimes I can, and sometimes I can't. You said you were making pesto and chicken, so I got a white I like to have with pesto and chicken."

"How'd you find it?"

"What? The wine?"

Sonny nods and opens a drawer, pulling out a corkscrew. "Yeah. Like, did you have it at a restaurant or did someone serve it at a party?"

Rafael cocks his head, trying to remember. "I think Rita was responsible. She has strong opinions on white wine."

"First time I had white wine," Sonny says as he expertly works the corkscrew, "was at my grandparents' anniversary. I was twenty-two, and I thought champagne was for girls."

"How'd it go?" Rafael asks, even though Sonny's tone gives away the story. 

"Well, first of all, Teresa punched me in the chest for saying champagne was for girls--"

"Good," Rafael replies.

Sonny chuckles. "Yeah, I had it coming, no contest. And, second, it was bad because it was a dry white, and I didn't have the palate for it."

"Please tell me you spit it out," Rafael says, sure that he didn't but wanting to watch the way Sonny's dimples deepen at the tease.

"Nah. Managed to swallow my first sip and then 'forgot' to pick my glass up after getting food."

"Not bad."

"I was probably not as smooth as I think I was." Sonny reaches into a cabinet and pulls out two wine glasses. He pours them each a measure. "Still got a bit before the chicken's ready, but I've got appetizers we can have this with."

"How many courses are you feeding me?" 

"Just a couple appetizers, an entree, a dessert, and then an after-dinner drink if you're game."

Rafael takes a sip of his wine. He'd usually play a bit coy on a first date, but he doesn't feel the need. "Anything come with the after-dinner drink?"

Sonny bites his lip and takes a moment to look at the open collar of Rafael's shirt. "Guess we'll find out when we get there."

"I was expecting a pun, honestly. Something like 'yeah, you maybe'."

Sonny laughs. "Believe me, I was tempted." He sets down his wine glass and rubs his hands together before wiping them on his jeans. "Okay, so this might be a little cheesy--and don't say you'd expect as much."

Rafael can't help his chuckle. "I can't be so easy to read already. This is our first date."

"Well, not really. It's not like we don't know each other," Sonny replies as he turns towards the fridge.

Rafael hums in agreement. It's a fair point. All those nights eating takeout and talking, they've gotten to know each other differently than just working together like before. They know each other's likes and dislikes, favorite ways to spend downtime, and--quite clearly--each other's humor. It makes Rafael feel warm to think about it. To be sitting here, in Sonny's apartment where he's never been but feeling right at home. If he wanted to get up and give himself a tour, Sonny would no doubt allow it. He wouldn't worry that Rafael may find an overflowing hamper or an embarrassing book series.

Rafael thinks about the time and attention Sonny gave him before two days ago when he asked him out for the first time. It's unquestionably the most attention anyone's ever given Rafael without being clear they wanted more than friendship. "Why did you wait so long to ask me out?" Rafael asks as Sonny turns from the fridge with a covered plate.

Sonny puts the plate down and shrugs. "I really enjoyed spending time with you, and I wanted to just be friends with you whether or not you were interested in me romantically."

"Why'd you change your mind?" 

Sonny looks down at the plate, toying with the towel covering it. "I got the sense you were maybe liking the look of me." 

"Oh?"

Sonny glances at Rafael, then looks down. He takes a deep breath--one that reminds Rafael of the deep breaths he had to take before he knocked--and he meets Rafael's gaze again. "It's hard to describe. Just, you look at me sometimes, and my gut would say it was for more reason than because I could quote case law at you." 

"It was," Rafael replies. "I wasn't trying to push you one way or another, but I was hoping you were looking at me, too."

Sonny's face breaks into another wide grin. "Oh, never doubt that."

Rafael feels himself blush at the blunt praise. He waves at the covered plate to distract himself. "So, what's the big surprise?"

Sonny pinches the towel between his fingers. "Well, it's one of two. I thought a couple of traditional appetizers to get us started." He whisks the towel away and waves his hand, palm up, over the plate. "Prosciutto and melon with a mint leaf, speared on only the very best toothpicks."

Rafael picks up one of the appetizers. The prosciutto is wrapped around the piece of melon like a sling, the mint leaf speared through and balanced on top of where the prosciutto is held together around the melon by the toothpick. Rafael eats it in one bite, unsurprised to find all the ingredients of high quality. The melon is juicy and sweet, the prosciutto just the right amount of salty, and the mint that perfect, crisp spark to bring it all together. Rafael takes a drink of his wien and enjoys how it blends with everything else. "It's great," he says, "but I don't understand how a classic Italian appetizer is cheesy."

Sonny pops his own slice of melon into his mouth and chews slowly, clearly appreciating the flavors. He wipes his thumb on the corner of his mouth to catch a bit of juice after he swallows. "It's not this one that's cheesy. It's the other one. I went full Italian on the meal without thinking when I was planning it, and I felt like that was sort of rude."

"Cooking me a delicious dinner is rude? My god, your weekly confession must take hours."

Sonny shakes his head and turns to the oven. He flips a knob, then opens the door, pulling a covered pan out and setting it on a trivet already on the counter. "First of all, shut up," he smiles at Rafael when Rafael chuckles. "Second of all, no it's not rude to make you food I like, and that I'm pretty sure you like, but I didn't want to go all…" Sonny waves his hands near his face. 

"New York Italian on me?" Rafael asks with a smirk towards Sonny's hands.

Sonny sighs and puts his hands on his hips. "Hey, I snuck by your office to badger Carmen about Cuban foods she's seen you eat, if any. So, fuck off."

Rafael pauses, his wine glass halfway to his mouth. "Wait. You talked to Carmen?"

"Yeah. I figured she orders you food a couple of times a week, so she'll know what you like." 

Rafael sets down his glass without drinking and leans towards the covered pan on the trivet. "What'd she say?" 

"Before you tell me I made them wrong, just know they were only in the oven to keep warm," Sonny says and lifts the lid. "And you might thank Carmen for taking it easy on me and suggesting _maduros_."

His pronunciation is good, Rafael thinks, but the _maduros_ look off. They're not as soft and pliant as he's used to seeing them. "I do like them, so points to Carmen for not fucking with you." Rafael reaches for one but stops short. "Am I about to burn myself?"

"Nah. I took 'em out of the oil awhile ago, just had them in the oven to keep warm."

Rafael picks one up, and it's warm but not hot against his fingers. The texture isn't right, and as Rafael brings it to his mouth, he notices the smell is off. It's too sharp. He takes a bite, chews twice, and then goes still as he realizes the problem. 

Sonny watches the whole thing, and his eyes go wide when Rafael freezes. "Oh, shit," he says. He turns and rips a paper towel off the roll, passing it across to Rafael so Rafael can spit out the bite. "I fucked up," Sonny says. 

Rafael folds the paper towel over and takes a quick drink of wine. "You got green plantains."

Sonny looks blank for a moment, then he ducks his head and says, "FUCK."

Rafael laughs, deeper and with more feeling than he's laughed in a long time, then Sonny looks mad at _the plantains_ , and it makes him laugh even more. 

Sonny shakes his head, rolls his eyes, and takes a substantial drink of his wine. "Okay, so that went poorly."

"It's not the worst effort someone's made for me," Rafael says, shrugging when Sonny gives him an annoyed look, "It's not," and he chuckles when Sonny shakes his head and laughs. 

I can promise the entree and dessert aren't badly made," Sonny says. "And I'll give _maduros_ another try next time."

"I look forward to it," Rafael replies. "What's dessert tonight?" 

"Zeppole, but you have to wait for me to put it together before I fry it."

Rafael gives Sonny his best side-eye as he takes a slice of melon and touches it to his lips. "Trying to keep me up past my bedtime?"

"Have I been subtle? I'm pretty sure I haven't been subtle," Sonny says with a smile.

Rafael eats his melon-prosciutto-mint, then leans back in his chair and gives Sonny his best smile. "Kiss me," he says.

Sonny rounds the kitchen island, tips back Rafael's head, and kisses him with no hesitation. He presses his tongue against Rafael's mouth and slides his tongue along Rafael's bottom teeth when Rafael opens up. 

Rafael licks Sonny's bottom teeth in return and happily clutches Sonny's shirt in both hands to keep him where he wants him as he unabashedly fucks his tongue into Sonny's mouth. Sonny groans and grabs Rafael at the waist. He doesn't pull Rafael close to _him_. He pulls _himself_ close to Rafael.

"Fuck," Sonny murmurs against Rafael's mouth. 

"If the pesto is better than the plantains, I might even suck your dick," Rafael says against Sonny's neck.

Sonny laughs and presses a series of kisses into Rafael's hair. "You're gonna suck my dick for an hour. I promise you that." 

"Looking forward to you proving that," Rafael says, and he holds Sonny close for a half-dozen more kisses before he lets him go to prove it.

**Author's Note:**

> You make _maduros_ with black plantains; which are green plantains that have ripened. Green plantains have a very different taste and are used to make _tostones_ , which are much more savory where _maduros_ are sweet.


End file.
